Simple questions can sometimes be the most important questions we ask. Not too long ago at Prayer Meeting, our pastor asked us a very good question. I've not stopped thinking about it ever since. He asked, "What is prayer?"
I once heard a little boy give this definition-- "Prayer is asking God for things." It's like calling 911 when you're in danger. When troubles come, we get on our knees and pray. And there's nothing wrong with that. In Psalm 34, David prayed, "I sought the Lord and He heard me and delivered me from all my fears" (verse 4). "The righteous cry out and the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles" (verse 17). So whatever we're going through, Jesus is there and always ready to be the answer for whatever we're facing.
But great as that is, is that all there is to prayer? Have you ever thought that it might be a way to KNOW God? I have to tell you, until recently, I never thought about prayer like that. For years, I've been like that little boy, thinking prayer was only about asking God for stuff. But this morning, I want to share with you how prayer is much more.
Think about the closest relationships you've ever had. How did that relationship start? If you're like me, it probably began with some kind of pursuit. You wanted to get to know them. Something about that person drew you in. That's what God does for each one of us--He always initiates the relationship. He's the One who woos us with His everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). He's the One who fills us with a hunger to know Him. And He doesn't want us to merely know about Him. He wants something much deeper and fuller than any relationship we've ever had.
He wants to know us through prayer. So a good beginning is to ask ourselves, "Why do I want Jesus?"
Let's start out by exploring a familiar story, the one about the loaves and fishes. You remem-ber that one--when a little boy shared his lunch with Christ on a hill in Galilee. Thousands had been listening to Jesus all morn-ing and everyone was hungry. But there was no food to feed them with--only this boy's lunch of 5 loaves and 2 small fish. But when Jesus blessed it, the food multiplied in His hands and everyone had enough and to spare.
As the bread was passed from person to person, a crazy momentum began to build. Stronger and stronger the momentum grew-- until everyone thought, “Jesus is the Messiah! The Messiah is with us!” They tried to rush forward and crown Him king, to even use force if they had to. But Jesus knew what was happening. He knew if their plans materialized, it would lead to senseless bloodshed and His mission for us would have been squelched. So Jesus had to stop this mad frenzy. He told His disciples to row to the other side of the lake. He sent the multitudes home. And then, Jesus went up to the mountain to pray. He needed time alone with His Father.
But the news of the miracle spread like wildfire. Multitudes searched for Jesus by land and by sea. They thought He went to Bethsaida so they all went looking for Him there.
But why? Why did they want Jesus? Did they crave to hear His words? Had they burned in their hearts like a fire? Were they drawn by His compassion and love? I'm afraid not. They looked for Jesus like a child looks in the window of a toystore. All they could think was "I want...I want..." Sure they wanted Jesus. They knew if they could attach themselves to Him, they'd have everything they ever dreamed of: health, riches, power--they'd have it all! But they didn't really want Jesus--only what He could give them.
In John 6, Jesus nails it on the head. "I tell you, you are looking for Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves" (verse 27, NRS). In other words, "Desire not merely His blessing, but Himself" (Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, pg. 131). It's okay to ask for God's help when you've lost a loved one. It's perfectly fine to ask for forgiveness. Just don't stop there. God wants to bless us, but He has so much more to give. More than loaves and fishes. More than health or strength. More than stuff and more stuff.
"Seek and you will find. Yield to that drawing. Christ is pleading the cause of the tempted, the erring, and the faithless" (ibid). I fit in that sentence somewhere, don't you? Tempted, making mistakes, falling down, walking away. But Jesus is seeking us anyway! "He is seeking to lift them into companionship with Himself." The Bible re-echoes that theme. "If you seek Him, He will be found by you!" (1 Chronicles 28:9) Isn't that great news? And it says so much about prayer!
Jesus wants to be our Provider, our Healer, and Redeemer. But He wants to give us something that goes beyond those gifts. He wants to give us Himself! I see this so clearly in this verse--"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). Can you hear His love poured out in this verse? I hear Him saying, "My child, I know you're hungry, but what you need most is Me. I know you're lonely, but I am here. You need communion with Me, mind to mind and heart to heart."
Our prayers can bring us into that kind of companionship with Jesus, into an intimacy with Him that we've never had before. We may know Christ's presence at every step. We may hear His voice clearly each and every day. We may even hear Him say, "This is the way; walk in it" (Isaiah 30:21).
But prayer is much more than clear-cut guidance. I'm talking about the heart of and soul of prayer. It's very essence is a deep encounter with God. It's coming right into the presence of the Lord. It's entering an atmosphere so heavenly that you can almost hear the flutter of angel's wings. Prayer can be like that if we will take the time to linger and to open our hearts to the One who loves us so.
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